A Sculptor

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855 (Janesville) – 1919



As the ambitious sculptor, tireless, lifts
Chisel and hammer to the block at hand,
Before my half-formed character I stand
And ply the shining tools of mental gifts.
I'll cut away a huge, unsightly side
Of selfishness, and smooth to curves of grace
The angles of ill-temper.
And no trace
Shall my sure hammer leave of silly pride.
Chip after chip must fall from vain desires,
And the sharp corners of my discontent
Be rounded into symmetry, and lent
Great harmony by faith that never tires.
Unfinished still, I must toil on and on,
Till the pale critic, Death, shall say, ''Tis done.'

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

31 sec read
164

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBACDEDCFGGFHI
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 578
Words 106
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 15

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox was an American author and poet. more…

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